Key-filing cabinet



July 8, 1930. R. H. THAYER KEY FILING CABINET Filed Jan. 29, 1930 INVENTOR Rs'ueUY. Th}: Eli" Patented July 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REUEL H. TH AYER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASBIGNOR TO THAYER TELKEE CORPORATION, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA KEY-FILIN CABINET Application filed January 29,1980. Serial No. 424,239. I

This invention relates to improvements in filing cabinet for filing keys or the like which is particularly adapted to be installed in a desk or filing cabinet drawer or on the top of a desk for receiving and filing large numbers of identified keys in a compact space so that they maybe readily seen and removed or replaced. This application is an improvement on and development of m co-pending app zlicat-ion Serial No. 202,491, led June 30, 192

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a drawer file adapted to receive a plurality of individual key receiving indicator hook sections for the filing of a large number of keys so that the keys are instantly available and so that it may be readily inspected to determine missing keys.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet or file adapted to fit within an ordinary desk drawer or file cabinet drawer which will have a plurality of key receiving sections, each section being adapted to receive and identify a plurality of individual keys.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sectional cabinet with suitably spaced sections and adapted to .be inserted within a usual desk or filing cabinet drawer, each section constructed with key receiving and identifying hook strips secured thereto, the sections being spaced at a suitable angle to the vertical and rocking at the base for the purpose of providing ample space for easy removal and reinsertion of the keys thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact sectional cabinet for supporting a plurality of individual keys on separate spaced sections whereby the identifying insignia and hook for each key is readily visible.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a sheet metal container having a plurality of spaced sections in angular relation to-the base, each section being provided with hook for identifying insignia and each section being'readily removable for insertion of another section if desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a key receivin cabinet which will separately support a arge number of-keys so that they ma be easily removed and replaced and so that t eir identifying insignia may be quickly distinguished.

Another ob ect of my invention is to provide a horizontal cabinet for individual filing of a large number of individually identified keys, whereby filing may be facilitated and wheireby the minimum space will be occup1e vice for filing large numbers of eys such'as would be required in large oflice buildings or apartment houses, and so arranged that the keys required for a single floor could be filed Another object of my invention is to roon a row of hooks on a single section and the numerous sections vertically filed for easy I inspection in a horizontal drawer element.-

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detail description thereof, together with the attached drawings which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horizontal filing cabinet having a cover and with .a part broken away to illustrate the internal construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross seption on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.'

Figure 3 is a central vertical section through the cabinet with the cover removed merous rooms and as pointed out in my coshowing a key receiving element in a raised pending application, some convenient form of cabinet is required to store them. Wall this point.

cabinets, however, are undesirable in some cases because of the considerable space required and a more compact filing cabinet is needed. My present invention consists, therefore, in a modified form of cabinet adapted to such a purpose.

The drawer file 1O constructed according to a preferred form of embodiment of my .invention is of a size suitable to fit within the ordinary desk drawer or in the usual filin cabinet where it may be stored permanent y or temporarily to provide a safe place for the keys contained therein. vided with side walls 10 bottom 10 and a rear wall and a plurality of substantially triangular spacing plates or section guides 12 are secured to each upstanding side walls 10 These may be welded as indicated by the spot welds 12 and as particularly shown in Figures 1 andS, or may be secured in any other desirable manner. These spacing plates are provided with outwardly turned ledges 1 1 on their forward edges and these ledges act as the support or rest for the key receiving sections 20. The ledges are at an angle of approximately to the vertical and the key receiving plate 20 in resting in its normal position will thus rest at substantially 45 to the base. This is particularly shown in the side elevation of Figure 2.

The rear edge 16 of the triangular spacing plate 12 is at an angle of substantially with the base and is so adapted that the key receiving section 20 resting on the adjacent rear spacing plate may be tilted forward until it contacts with the edge of the adjacent forward spacing plate as particularly shown in Figure 3. his will permit greater accessibility to the rear key receiving section and the keys may be withdrawn with greater facility.

The spacing plates 12 are further provided with a small outwardly and rearwardly turned lip 18 at the base which acts as a pivot for the key receiving plate 20 and permits movement of the plate about this pivot without, however, interfering with the complete removal ofthe plates 20. No pin is necessary as the projection 18 engages the edge 20 of the plate 20 on the forward side and the section rests on the shelf 14of the adjacent spacing plate. As no pin or rivet is used; the section may be readily withdrawn and as shown in Figure 2, the spacing plates 12 are placed close enough together to leave only sufficient space between the ledge 14 and the projection 18 to receive the plate 20 and to permit the plate to rock about The key receiving plate 20 is of sufficient length to correspond to the width of the file although they could, of

course, extend the length of the file if desired and are adapted to slide. into position in the appropriate slots or opening between the ledge 14, on one element and the rear It is proedge 16 of the adjacent element. As they are slid into position, their lower edge con- ,tacts with the projection 18 so that they may pivot or rock about this point. These sections 20 are provided along the upper edge with rows of hooks which are preferably integral with a strip 22, more particularly shown in my co-pending application above referred to. These hook strips 22 extend across the top of sect-ion 20 and are provided with a plurality of label pockets 24. The label pockets 24 are spaced slightly from the back of the element to form ockets for the reception of identifying car 5 or other insignia. A cut-away section, showing this spacing 24c for the pocket, is shown in the center of Figure 2. These hook strips are suitably supported as by spot welding to the sections and any number of hooks may be provided depending on the width of the drawer unit. The standard size cabinet provides for but a single row, each row having eight hooks. It is obvious, however, that the file might be wider or that the sections might run from front to back rather than across the cabinet and a greater number of hooks could be used. The units might be higher so that a double or plurality of rows of hook strips might be used across the face of the section. As many sections may be used as there is filing space or as there are keys.

In order to strengthen the side of the sections 20 and to permit the sections to slide in as well as be moved about the lower edge with greater facility, the edges 2O are turned or bent forward to form guides. It is these edges orguides 20 whichactually contact with the backedge portion 16 of the spacing plates and project under the lips 18 at the bottom of the spacing plates 12. The side construction of these elements or sections 20 is clearly shown in Figures 2 and-3 and the front elevation is shown in Figure 5 in which the upper section, which is in view, is the rear section pulled forward, as shown in Figure 3. Normally, the inclined sections are all in line and it is due to the usual observance of the keys from a high point that all the units are observable as shown in Figure 1.

The angles of inclination of the respective plates are such that at a single glance as shown in Figure 1 all of the hooks are immediately visible and all the keys are therefore instantly available. If the file is placed in a desk drawer which would usually be a file without a cover, all the identifying cards could be seen at a glance and if any keys were desired to be removed, it would only be necessary to grasp the upper edge of the section 20, pulling it forward until it contacted with the rear edge of the adjacent spacing plate 12, in front and adequate space would then be had to remove the key from the section in the rear. Similarly in replacing a key in any of the intermediate sections, it is only hook in the rear.

necessary to rock the sections forward to provide adequate space to file the key on the It is easy to pull the immediate adjoining forward section into the raised position or it is, of course, possible to remove the section altogether. In either case, adequate space will then be available for replacing the key.

This file is particularly where a large number of keys must be filed. It is compact, portable, if necessary, adapted to be filed in a filing cabinet or desk drawer and it may be expanded by additional sections or additional units to meet any conditions. It is well adapted to the classification and systematic arrangement and storage of keys and is particularly well adapted to care for large or medium size groups of keys. It is adapted for instantaneous inspection and it is extremely easy to take out the key of any specific room on any specific floor by merely reaching back within the file exposing adaptable for use the particular section to the floor desired, and

then removing the key from the hook corresponding to the room or office or removing one entire section 20 with the keys thereon. All the keys are available and accessible and any keys that are missing can be instantly noted and losses can therefore be more quickly detected.

An identifying insignia 30 for the keys 31 may also be provided which insignia is permanently secured to the key and being provided with suitable aperture may be hung over the books 26 so that when a key is removed, its identity is not lost and it may be readily refiled on its proper hook. The hooks are particularly shaped to receive a plurality of these keys as it is contemplated and frequently found that a number of keys are provided for the same look. These are usually the original and numerous duplicate keys and the particular book shown is of such shape and size that they may all be placed in the one proper position.

I The file may be provided with a cover 10 as particularly shown in Figure 1, which cover may be hinged along the back l0 and provided with projections 28 to receive a lock on the front. Such cabinet would particularly be used if it was desired to keep the cabinet locked although in an exposed position or if it was desired to carry the key file from place to place. Such portable file could easily be stored in a safe or vault when not in use and the lock is not intended to more than temporarily protect the keys from removal.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and yet highly effective file for retaining a large number of separate and distinct keys. The sections are removable and as many as desired may be used up to the capacity of the file which may be of greater or lesser dimensions as desired, Ihe sections may run transverse or longitudinal of the sections make contact as they rpcl: about 7 a lower projection which acts asa pivot but permits removal and requires no pins. The spacing plates are all of the same shape so that the most simplified construction can be provided. The forward lip of thefirst section, however, is not used but in view of manufacturing economy, it is desirable to use the usual spacing plate. 1

- The spacing of the sections is such that they may be rocked through a small angle in order to facihtate the insertion and removal of keys from the rear sections and this space also permits instant accessibility and inspection of 7 all the keys as the identifying pockets adjacent the hooks extends above the visual line of the preceding section and all of them are therefore in view. The section is compact, convenient, and well adapted to satisfy thc requirements for filing keys and as the tions may be removed. if desired, its final size may be readily varied. It is, of course, obvious that the cabinets could be used for filing other articles although it is primarily suited for key filing.

Although I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of that modifications may be made therein, within the scope of my invention, and I therefore desire a broad interpretation of my disclosure commensurate with my disclosure and limited only by the claims appended hereinafter.

'What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a key retainer of the class described,

a cabinet having side walls, triangular spacon-said spacing plates, and adapted to rock,

about the apex of said triangular space and be moved into position against the forward spacing element whereby keys may be removed or replaced from said sections without interference with adjacent sections.

2. A drawer file cabinet of the character described, having side walls, a base, triangular spacing plates secured in spaced relation along said side walls, a plurality of key receiving sections adapted to fit within the space between said spacing plates, each spacing plate having an outwardly and rearwardly extendin lip at the bottom cooperating with one of said sections, said spacing plates being sec this invention, it is obvious substantially spaced from each other at the top thereof whereby said key receiving sections may be rocked about said lip so that the adjacent key receiving section is entirely ac- 5 cessible.

3. In a key receiving file of the class described, a horizontal container having a plurality of spaced angularly disposed removable key receiving sections therein, each of said sections having a plurality of key receiving hooks adjacent the top of said sections, identifying label pockets adjacent each hook and means to pivot the sections at their bases without interfering with the removal of the sections in order to more easily remove the keys from the adjacent rearward section.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a horizontal container having upstanding vertical side walls, said side Walls having a plurality of triangular spacing elements, a plurality of key receiving sections adapted to be inserted within said container, said key receiving sections adapted to rest in an angular position and spaced one 5 from the other on said spacing elements whereby all of said hooks are observable at once and means on said spacing elements adjacent the bottom of said side walls to pivot the adjacent key receiving section without interfering with the removal of said section.

5. A key drawer cabinet, having side walls, a base, and triangular spacing plates secured in spaced relation along said side walls, a plurality of removable key receiving plates extending from side to side of said cabinet and adapted to fit within the spaces between said spacing plates, each key receiving plate having a series of key receiving hooks, with cooperating label pockets adjacent each hook,

each spacing plate having a forward ledge on which the key plate rests and an outwardly and rearwardly extending lip at the bottom of each spacing plate cooperating with the adjacent key plate, said spacing plates being substantially spaced from each other at the top thereof, whereby said key plates may be rocked, about said lips to make the adjacent key plate more accessible.

n testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

REUEL H. THAYER. 

